Rutten, Lila J

Abstract In 2016, we established the year-long Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) Mid-Career Leadership Institute. Individuals are often selected for leadership positions without intentional training in needed leadership skills, including strategic planning, building collaborative teams, goal setting, negotiation, and communication. The purpose of the Leadership Institute is to: (a) provide opportunities for mid-career professionals to build and sustain their leadership capacity; (b) create cohorts of connected fellows in behavioral medicine fields, disciplines, and institutions, who can support one another throughout their professional careers; and (c) enhance specific skills needed to navigate the challenges of mid-career. Over the first 4 years of the Institute, 139 fellows have participated, representing 35 states. Most of the fellows hold PhDs (93%) as a terminal degree. This special issue is dedicated to the leadership experiences of fellows, faculty, senior SBM mentors, peer mentors, and executive coaches.

Abstract In 2015, the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) created the Mid-Career Leadership Institute. The initial model that motivated the creation of the institute came from my participation in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, specifically designed to enhance the leadership skills of senior female faculty in the health sciences. My participation in ELAM was transformative. It led me to run for president of SBM in 2014, to consider how behavioral scientists could similarly benefit from mid-career leadership training, and ultimately to work with the SBM Executive Director, the SBM Leadership Institute Steering Committee, and leadership training professionals to launch the Leadership Institute in 2016. The overarching goal of the SBM Leadership Institute is to train mid-career behavioral scientists engaged in academic and health care settings to develop essential skills needed to navigate the unique challenges of mid-career. Central to this goal is a focus on integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into their emerging leadership roles through participation in training exercises, lectures, and dynamic group discussions. To optimize the Leadership Institute experience, opportunities were developed, including mentoring from SBM seasoned members, peer mentoring through the creation of “learning communities,” career coaching, and additional networking opportunities. The purpose of this brief commentary is to summarize lessons learned by highlighting program evaluation, describing key changes over the initial 4 years, and sharing future plans for leadership training.

AbstractBackgroundChildhood obesity is underdiagnosed in primary care practices. Our study aimed to compare rates of documentation of diagnosis of obesity and counselling for nutrition and physical activity at an academic primary care practice prior to and following implementation of a body mass index (BMI)‐based electronic point of care clinical reminder tool.MethodsWe performed a retrospective record review of children aged 2–18 years undergoing well child visits during any of three calendar years (2009, 2011 and 2013). The electronic clinical reminder tool was implemented in September 2010. Records of children with BMI > 95th percentile were electronically searched for terms of documentation of diagnosis of obesity and nutrition and physical activity counselling. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for potential patient and provider confounders.ResultsAmong those with BMI ≥ 95th percentile, there was a statistically significant increase in documentation of diagnosis of obesity (45.5% in 2009 vs. 52.4% in 2011; P < 0.001; adjusted odds ratio 1.36; 95% CI 1.13–1.65) and in counselling for physical activity and nutrition (66.8% in 2009 vs. 75.2% in 2011; P < 0.001; adjusted odds ratio 1.33; 95% CI 1.06–1.66) following implementation of the tool. Compared with 2011, there was no statistically significant increase in documentation of obesity (50.4%) or nutrition and physical activity counselling (77.9%) in 2013.ConclusionsThe implementation of a point of care clinical reminder tool was associated with improvement in documentation of diagnosis of obesity and counselling for nutrition and physical activity. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of these automated tools on weight outcomes in children.